Biddle



(No-Modem G. W. BIDDLE.

GONVOLUTB SPRING HEEL. I I

N0.. 349,683. 8 I Patented $8 18.28, 1886.

mmm

' mm Ill I Ii N, PETERS. PhowLiflmgn hnr. Wanhing'lnn. D86.

UNITED STATES PATENT OF ICE.

GEORGE \VASHINGTON BIDDLE, OF OENTRIALI A, ILLINOIS.

CONVOLUTE SPRING-HEEL.

QPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent. No. 349,683, datedSeptember 28, 1886.

Application filed Apr i1 7, 1886. Serial No. 198,1-18. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE WAsnINGroN BIDDLE,a citizen of the United States, residing at Gentralia, in the county ofMarion and 5 State of Illinois, have invented a new and ImprovedOonvolute Spiral-Spring Boot or Shoe .Heel, intended to be applied toall kinds and sizes of boots or shoes and to be used and worn instead ofthe leather or other hard heels now in general use; and I dohereby'declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, which will enable others skilled in the artto which it ap- Ipertains to make and use the same. I

This invention relates to spring-heels for boots or shoes; and it hasfor its object to provide a spring lieel which will be light,

strong, durable, and cheap, and which will obviate the main objection toall spring-heels with which I am familiar-that is, their utter failureto compress or give equally on all sides when a pebble or uneven surfaceis stepped upon; and with this object in view the inven- 2 5 tionconsists of the parts and combinations of parts hereinafter describedand claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of my improved heel at- -3 tachedto a shoe, the counter of the latter being partly broken away to showhow the heel is secured; Fig. 2, a plan view of the bottom, with toplift removed; Fig. 3, a perspective view of the base-plate, and Fig. 4 aperspec 3 5 tive view of the convolute spring forming the heel.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

A represents the base-plate. This plate is made of any suitable metal,and is shaped like the lift of a heel,and is provided with perforationsto at intervals around its edge,and has an extension or shank-piece, B,extending forward from the front or breast of the heel, which is alsoprovided with perforations a, for nails or screws, as clearly shown inFig. 3, to secure the same to the sole of the shoe. The edge of thebase-plate A is turned up all around to form a groove, 1). The heel C isformed of a continuous spring-metal strip, formed the desired shape, thecoils of which are convolved or rolled so as to fit within each otherwithout binding, gradually becoming smallerin diame- I ter as the bottomof the heel is reached, and to the bottom coil the top lift,D,is brazedor otherwise secured so as to form a tight joint. The upper coil of thespring is turned outward, so as to form a flange, (I, which fits withinthe groove, I), to secure the heel to the base-plate A, where it issecurely held by the metal cleat E, which is fastened to thebase-plate'immediately in front of the heel, so as to abut against thesan1e,by means of screws or in any other suitable manner. Within theheelIplace oneor more volute springs, F, according to the weight of theperson who is to use the heel, the smaller ends of the springs being.placed against the base-plate, so that they-will not interfere bybinding or catching inthe coils of the spring forming the heel. Thesesprings are not secured or fastened in any way within theh'eel,

and may be removed at any time for the purpose of substituting strongeror weak er springs therefor. The base-plate is first secured, by screwsor otherwise, to the insole, the number of springs F desired havingfirst been placed within the heel, the flange d is slipped into thegroove b, and the cleat E fastened to the baseplate A, so as to preventthe heel-flange 4 moving forward and out of the groove. Thus it will beseen that I provide a heel the whole of which is formed of aspring-metal strip or bar, the main body of the heel being in one piece,which will not bindor catch when unequal pressure is applied thereto,while at the same time stronger or. weaker springs may be used with thesame,to accommodate the differ- ,ent weights of the persons using them.This the heel may be removed in a very short space of time, when sodesired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A heel-shell for boots or shoes, formed 4. The hereinbeforedeseribedeonvolute spiral spring heel, formed of one continuous piece of springmetal, the top lift, D, the flange 11, 15 the perforated base-plate A,shank-piece B, groove b, springs F, and cleat E, substantially as setforth.

GEORGE \lSIllNG'lON RIDDLE.

Witnesses:

S. A. FRAZIER, MILEs GEEK, FRANK. M. FLOYD, Jr.

